Process of making finish-removers.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. WILSON, OF MON'ICLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 -WILSON BET/ OVER COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF MAKING FINISH-REMOVERS.

N 0 Drawing.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. W'ILSON, a citizen of theUnited' States, and resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Making Finish-Removers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of finish removers adapted to remove thin films of paint, varnish 0r Wax, which removers contain dissolved thickening agents inisolution therein, and has for its objects the production of a mix ture which, while substantially free from benzole, contains wax in complete solution therein, in addition to dissolved oxy-derivatives of cellulose, such as acetyl-cellulose, and particularly pyroxylin.

Heretofore in the production of benzolefree, alcoholic wax-containing removers, it

quantity of has been customary to add a considerable henol to the wax or other analogous su stance, and to subsequently precipitate the'said Wax by means of a waxprecipita-nt, such as alcohol, and at the same time preventing the deposition of the Wax by the addition of asuitable quantity of a dissolved thickening agent, other than wax, such as pyroxylin, cellulose-acetate and lower nitrates of cellulose. These mixtures,

- however, were usually exceedingly Viscous,

due to theamount of dissolved thickening agent employed to maintainethe wax in homogeneous and permanent suspension in the said mixture, and it has been difficult on this account to utilize such removers in many cases where a thin remover is preferable, if not essential. lVhen it has been attempted to dilute these mixtures the precipitation of the wax has resulted, and one of the principal properties of the remover, o wit, that of forming a soft yet tenacious film, upon the superficial evaporation of the volatile ingredients, has been destroyed. I have discovered that it is possible to produce a so-called thin remover directly from these viscous removers containing wax in homogeneous and permanent suspension therein, such removers being herein termedemulsion removers, While at the same time preserving the many valuable properties of the thick or emulsion remover, and thereby 'am enabled to evolve a remover Specification of Letters Patent.

mately Patented Sept. 34). .91:1.

Application filed July 17, 1908. Serial No. 443,982.

which can be conveniently applied to a sur- .tace as a fine stream or jet, by means of pneumatic pressure.

In carrying out my invention 1 prefer to proceed as follows: Six ounces of parailin wax, six ounces of beeswax and -lounces of cerasin wax are heated together until melted, with 32 ounces of phenol crystals. preferably the commercial crystals. Into this mixture, preferably at a temperature approximating 70 C. is introduced a collodion solution,-

preferably 16 ounces, said solution containing aprpoximately 7 and l per cent. of solids (pyroxylin)and 92 andiper cent. of solvent, preferably alcohol containing 5 per cent. of ethyl-acetate. Sufiicient alcohol is then added to this mixture to ,produce eight pounds c" a wax-containing finish remover therefrom, it beingevidcnt that. the alcohol can be added prior to the addition of the collodion solution and the collodion solution may be subsequently introduced, or the amount of alcohol required to produce a gallon may be added subsequent to the mixing of the collodion, waxes and phenol.

In order to produce a thinremover from the aforesaid mixture, which consists essentially of alcohol and contains approximately 25 per cent. of phenol, I then add three part-1 of acetone and alcohol respectively to one part of said emulsion remover whereby the resulting mixture contains approxithrce-sevenths acetone, threesevenths alcohol, prefe'ably wood alcohol, although denatured 'alcohol can likewise be employed, if desired, and one-seventh of the aforesaid mixture consisting of viscous finish remover. e

The addition of acetone-alcohol mixture as aforesaid destroys the equilibrium of the ,original mixture and effects the deposition of the wax prev ously held in homogeneous .and permanent suspension therein and thereby I am enabled to produce a thin reiriover by merely decantingthe supernatant liquid from the segregated deposit of wax which collects at the bottom of t he solution.

This mixture, as previously state ,"posscsses the valuable film-forming'prope ty of the original emulsion remover, from which it is obtained in the mannei' described, and

upon exposure of the mixture to the atmosphere a soft, substantially impervious non-adhesive film is formed which prevents the immediate evaporation of the volatile liquids occluded beneath the said film for periods extending over several hours and thereby permits of the continued action of volatile solvents such as methyl or wood alcohol and acetone upon dried or weathered films of paint, varnish or wax to which they are applied, for sufliciently long periods of time to permit of the complete destruction of the same in the manner well known. The destroyed films of paint, varnish or wax consist of viscous magmas containing dissolved oils, waxes and shellac, together with insoluble pigments, which possess little affinity for the underlying surfaces when re? moved Within reasonable periods of time after the first application of the finish remover thereto, and accordingly may be readily removed from the surfaces underlying the same with a knife or other suitable device, in the manner well known.

It is evident that, if desired, alcohol alone may be added in lieu of any acetone, in

. whichcase two parts of alcohol are prefersolution of wax as when the alcohol is subsequently added to a finish remover containing alcohol and an excess of wax in suspension therein as previously described herein. In fact, owing to the complete absence of wax-solvents, such as benzole and the like, which are'capable of readily dissolving wax, it is necessary to employ even greater care to prevent the complete precipitation of the wax when the alcohol is added, and this is accomplished, as hereindescribed, by the prior addition of the collodion or thickening agent in order'to counterbalance the tendency of the wax to addition of alcohol. g

It is well known that ethyl acetate is an excellent solvent for Oils and the like, whereas alcohol is miscible with but few oils, and accordingly in the claims I do not include under the classification of an oilprecipitate 'upon the solvent alcoholic compounds, such as alcohol,

whether ethyl alcohol, alcohols.

Having thus described my invention what I clainnis:

1. The process which coi'isists in causing a wax-precipitant to react upon an emul- S1011 finish remover containing wax in homogeneous and permanent suspension theresaid deposited wax.

methyl or other in, thereby destroyin the equilibrium of said emulsion and e ecting the deposition of said wax, and then separating the substant-ially clear, supernatanhsolution from said deposited wax.

2. The process which consists in causing a wax-precipitant to react upon an emulsion finish remover containing wax in substantially permanent suspension therein, thereby destroying the equilibrium of said emulsion and effecting the deposition of said Wax,-the amount of wax-precipitant being 1n excess of the amount of emulsion remover I said finish remover, thereby destroying the equilibrium of said finish remover and cfiecting .the segregation ofthe wax suspended therein, and then separating the substantially clear supernatant solution from the 4. The process which consists in causing an alcoholic wax-percipitant to react upon phenol, wax and a dissolved thickening agent, the amount of said wax-precipitant being sufiicient to reducethe viscosity of the resultant mixture sufficiently to prevent the permanent suspension of any precipitated wax therein, wherebya thin remover, substantially free from particles of wax, maybe obtained.- I I v The process which consists in causing a mixture containing alcohol and acetone to react upon phenol, wax and an oxy-compound of cellulose in solution, the amount of said mixture of alcohol. and acetone being sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the rer sultant mixture sufiiciently to prevent the permanent suspension of any precipitated wax therein, whereby a thin remover substantially free from particlesof wax. may be obtained. w

6. The process which consists in causing an alcoholic wax-precipitant to reactupon a finish remover containing, wax in substantially permanent suspension therein, said finish remover containing in excess of twenty per cent. of phenol, the amount of waxprecipitant added thereto being more than double the amount of finish remover treated, and then separating the substantially clear supernatant solution from the said deposited wax whereby a thin remover, containing less than ten per cent. of phenol and substantially free from precipitated wax in permanent suspension, may-be obtained.

7. The process which consists in ca'u sing an alcoholic wax-precipitant to react; upon a finish remover containing Wax in substanstantia'lly free from precipitlted Wax in tiully permanent suspension therein, said permanent suspension, may be obtained.

finish remover containing in exeess of twenty Signed at New York, in the county of per\ cent. of phenol, the amount of wax- New York and State of New York, this 3d 5 greeipitiint added tlfiereto being more then (lay of July,A.'D. 1908.

ouble tie amount 0 finish remover treated, T

and then'separating the substantially clear JOHN \VILSONf supernatant solution from the said deposited Witnesses:

wax, whereby a thin remover, containing W, H. SWENARTON, 10 less than ten per cent. of, phenol, and suh- P. COMPTON MILLER. 

